My Companion
by Rainbow Daydreamer
Summary: A frightened child is comforted by a mysterious voice at night. My first fanfic, what do you think?


Bi: Daydreamer, I'm sleepy. Tell me [yawns] a story.  
  
Daydreamer: Of course, Bi. Here goes.  
  
.................................................................  
  
"Goodnight, sweetheart. Sleep well." "Goodnight," I called, but I had my fingers crossed. I knew it wouldn't be a good night. Not for me.  
  
Every night, as soon as the sunshine faded, the fighting would begin. Blasts of lightning and fire rattled my windowpane as the battle raged. Two immense creatures were attacking one another on the streets of the city. But no-one else could see them. Night after night my screams and tears were put down to bad dreams.  
  
Sure enough, the first flash lit up the city minutes later. I scrambled out of bed and tried to slam the window shut. It was jammed. I ran back to hide under the covers, curled up in the darkness. Boom. The window glass trembled and I couldn't stop shaking.  
  
I wished I could use the 'phone, call my friends. I could think of at least one who wouldn't be scared, and he lived just down my street. But even if he could see- the monsters? the aliens?- he would be busy comforting his little sister. And I wasn't allowed downstairs in any case. Dad's boss had come over for dinner.  
  
I didn't feel safe here. With the window stuck open I was surely in danger. After a moment's thought I tiptoed out of bed and climbed into the big wardrobe in the corner, leaving the door open just a crack. A thin line of light shone on my face; I didn't dare close my eyes. "Stop it," I whispered into the darkness. "Stop it. Go away."  
  
Suddenly the strangest thing happened. I heard a voice speaking from somewhere close by. "Shh," it murmured. "It's all right."  
  
"Who's that? W-who's there?" My words came out in a squeak. I hadn't heard the door opening, and this voice wasn't one I knew. Its tone was sweet and high-pitched, like the voice a baby might have if it could talk. I stayed silent and still. No answer came, but as the battle outside calmed for a moment, I heard a noise- something like the movement of silk, or the sound of paper blown by the wind. Then it- or he, or she- spoke again.  
  
"You won't get to sleep in the wardrobe, you know." The Voice sounded comforting and gentle. Carefully I pushed the door open and stepped out into the light. The fight was still going on, but I felt safer with it talking to me. "That's better. Oh, I can see you now!" It had developed what sounded like a chirp of excitement. "You look just like I thought you would. I could tell by your voice! Are you all right? You look as though you've been crying-"  
  
I was trying hard to work out where in the room my new companion was, but each time I pinpointed the sound of its voice there would be that rustling, fluttering sound and it would have moved. I gave up and sat on the bed, gazing through the pulled-back curtain at the lights and sounds of the fight that had been so frightening before. It was- I checked the clock by my bed- eleven o'clock at night, and I felt so tired. I couldn't stop myself from yawning.  
  
Still the Voice talked to me, telling me not to be afraid. I found my tongue and asked it nervously, "What are those monster-things?"  
  
"You wouldn't understand if I told you," it said sadly. "Perhaps later- yes, I think you might. You're in touch with that sort of thing. Right now it scares you, but maybe..." It trailed off. I felt cold, and climbed into bed to sit under the covers.  
  
As the clock a few streets away struck midnight, the sounds of the fighting suddenly faded. The world became darker again, not lit by coloured fire and flashing light. I took a deep breath of the cool night air.  
  
"They've gone," the Voice told me, in that high sweet tone I now knew. "They won't be back. You can sleep in peace now." Then there was a rustle, as if it was trying to move towards the open window.  
  
I felt tears in my eyes. "Oh, you aren't going, are you? You've only just come!"  
  
"I have things to do," it replied. "By rights I don't know if I should have been here at all. Things to do, people to see..."  
  
"Don't go!" I pleaded. "I- I love you! Come back!"  
  
The Voice seemed to hesitate. I thought in the darkness that I could hear it smile. "It's all right," it said. "I have this feeling that you'll see me again. Where and when, I can't tell, but it'll be daylight then. And we can be the closest of friends. Shh. You're tired. Try to sleep."  
  
I tried to answer, but I was just too tired. I hadn't slept well in days, and now I couldn't stop my eyelids closing. The last thing I heard was that faint silky sound, and I wondered dreamily what it could be. Then silence.  
  
"Good morning, darling. It's time to wake up. Come on! It's Monday, sweetheart. You've got to go to school."  
  
I would normally have liked to go to school. I could see my friends there, and play games on the sports field. But now I just felt incredibly sad. The Voice, my companion, had left without even letting me see its face. Was it old or young, male or female? Perhaps, if it had got through my window, it wasn't human at all. Fairy, ghost, angel? Cat, dog, mouse? I would never know.  
  
"You look upset, honey. You haven't been dreaming about nasty monsters again, have you?"  
  
"No," I said sadly. "It was a lovely dream. I didn't want it to end, that's all." Maybe my companion had been just that, a sweet dream.  
  
And then I saw it, lying underneath the still-open window. I could hardly believe it. Quickly I snatched it out of Mum's sight and stared at it in the palm of my hand.  
  
"Well, Sora darling," said my mother, handing me my dressing-gown, "that must have been a wonderful dream."  
  
"Yes," I told her quietly as I slipped the tiny pink feather into the drawer I kept for special things. "Yes, it was."  
  
We'll see each other again, my friend. We will.  
  
............................................................................ ........................  
  
Bi: [eyes closed] Hmmmm.....  
  
Daydreamer: Sleep tight, birdy baby. 


End file.
